October 26, 2003: A Gratuitous Plug For The Apple Music Store

I've been happily using the Apple Music Store since it opened. Not only does it have all that music, but the way it's organized makes it easy to browse. I keep running across things I liked and forgot about, mostly because they were from one-hit wonders, or bands that I don't normally care for except, well, this one thing they did that rocked . . . (Last night I actually bought a Def Leppard cut. Yes, really.)

So. It's good to get music. It's not so good to do the happydance because you just found something you hadn't heard for years, and then realize you're depressing your Windows-using friends because THEY can't go do the same thing.

OK, cool, that problem is now solved. As of a few days ago, there's a Windows front end for the Apple Music Store. Happy happy joy joy. Here's a free plug for you, Mister Jobs.

And I'm happy for more than personal reasons. Apple's success with this project proves that there are a lot of people out there who are happy to legally buy music, one song at a time, if they're given the option. That bodes very well for those of us who want to offer other content . . . like RPG adventures, say, or even software? . . . in a digital format. Sure, there will be slimeballs who copy our stuff onto "sharing" services, and other slimeballs who compete to get the biggest collection of stolen adventures. Some of you, reading this, are those slimeballs. But I really think that most of you want game writers and publishers to make a living, and are willing to pay for what you get , even if you could steal it. So thanks.-- Steve Jackson